Nick - pet insurance is incredibly complex for some reason
the best thing to do is to decide what type of cover you want, and then look for a policy that suits
The main types of policy are:
- Policies that only cover a condition for 12 months - after which, no more payments are made for a specific condition/injury - these are usually the cheapest, but can be risky because if your dog develops a chronic condition, you can end up with big bills after the first 12 months
OR
- Policies that cover conditions years on year (assuming you renew the policy) but that have a maximum payout, either in total, each year, or for each condition. These vary in price depending on the value of the *cap*.
In all cases, policies vary in terms of what they will and won't cover - some offer cover for alternative/complimentary therapies, some exclude dental treatment, some cover prescription diets and others exclude behavioural treatment
Once you have picked a policy, you may find yourself stuck with it for life - if your dog is treated by your vet, even if you don't claim, then the condition will be excluded by other insurance companies in the future.
Also, as many people are finding out, even if you DO renew with the same company each year, then they reserve the right to change the terms and conditions; M & S have introduced a requirement for dogs to have an annual dental check up in order to be eligible for insurance for dental work, for instance
There are positive and negative stories about most companies tbh - the best thing to do is make sure you read the small print and know exactly what you are buying in terms of cover and what the exclusions mean.......don't assume that they are all the same, cos they aren't!
